


tell me about the hundredth time

by rain_sleet_snow



Category: Discworld
Genre: Female Friendship, Gen, Grief/Mourning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-25
Updated: 2018-02-25
Packaged: 2019-03-24 02:04:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13801065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rain_sleet_snow/pseuds/rain_sleet_snow
Summary: Nanny Ogg has a lesson for Tiffany Aching, first among equals.You've got to have someone who stops you cackling.





	tell me about the hundredth time

**Author's Note:**

  * For [opalmatrix](https://archiveofourown.org/users/opalmatrix/gifts).



Nanny Ogg is ancient, undaunted, and invincible. She doesn't hesitate to make the trip down to the Chalk, though Tiffany offers to visit her in Lancre. She says she needs to assess Tiffany's Young Man.

Preston says he looks forward to learning from such a gifted practitioner of the obstetric science. Tiffany is reasonably confident he doesn't know what he's in for, and neither does the rest of the Chalk.

Nanny Ogg stays two weeks, sleeping in the Achings' farmhouse rather than Tiffany's shepherd's hut, which is a perfect fit for her (and Preston) but not equipped for any guest larger than a Feegle. She approves Preston, delivers two babies, teaches Tiffany a large number of things that aren’t strictly witching but aren't strictly not, either, and watches Tiffany and Letitia with something surprisingly close to wistfulness.

You, who appeared from nowhere the day the soles of Nanny's red boots touched the Chalk, sticks very close to her, and leaves white cat hairs all over an impeccably mended and cared-for black dress. Nanny Ogg doesn't mind, and not just because someone else will do the laundry.

"You got to have friends, Tiff," Nanny Ogg says, packing her pipe as they walk out of the castle, past the guards. Tiffany nods at them; they all know her, both as Tiffany Aching and as The Witch, and all the places in between where those two identities grew together, and now can't be divided. "Friends are what stops you cackling."

Cackling, Tiffany thinks. "Did it work for Granny Weatherwax?"

"Ninety-nine times out of a hundred."

"And the hundredth time?"

Nanny lodges the pipe between her teeth. "The bugger deserved it, and I was a bit slow stopping Esme."

Tiffany smiles.

The walk to the Aching farmhouse is not a very long one. Tiffany stops at the gate.

"I'd be lonely, without Letitia," she says. "I have Preston, at least some of the time. And the Feegles. But I'd still be lonely without her."

"It's a good lesson to learn," Nanny says. "Took Esme a while."

"Shall we go in?" Tiffany asks.

Nanny's wrinkled-apple face, so made for smiling, is glittering in places under the moonlight. Tiffany doesn't comment on it.

"Nah," Nanny says. "It's a beautiful night. Let's appreciate it a little longer."

They stand leaning against the gate for a while. The farm dogs come out to them, and Tiffany strokes their heads absently. You has been on the roof, for reasons best known to herself, and now she climbs down to stroll along the dry stone wall and perch at Nanny's side.

When the glitter has faded from Nanny's cheeks, Tiffany says: "Nanny."

"What is it, Tiff?"

"Tell me about the hundredth time."


End file.
